Randy Sprinkle and his son Randy Jr. check the poundage of the turkeys that they're donating to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

JASON CAMPBELL/The Bulletin

Blessed with new grandchildren and a ranch slaughtering business that was taking care of his family fairly well, Sprinkle had nothing but good things to look back on as he reflected over the course of the last 12 months.

But when he kept reading about how the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Turkeys R Us fund was running drastically low he figured he could do something about it.

“It’s a tough time for people out there, and I talked to my wife about it and we thought that maybe we could do something to give,” Sprinkle said. “So my son and I worked an extra day, and we used the money to go out and buy turkeys that will go to families that wouldn’t otherwise have them this year.”

While the Turkeys R Us program has in the past been a major success, the economic downturn and the shrinking of public funds has put a major strain on the organization and their ability to reach out to struggling families.

All told, Sprinkle and his son Randy Jr. will deliver 16 turkeys to Second Harvest Food Bank in time for them to be cooked for the traditional Thursday meal that centers around family – something that the Sprinkles place a lot of emphasis on.

Knowing that they themselves were doing okay and there were others out there facing the holidays with nothing, the free day of work seemed miniscule.

“We’d both rather give the turkeys off of our table than know that somebody out there isn’t able to afford one,” Sprinkle Jr. said. “We just felt like we were in the position to be able to lend a hand, and hopefully it’ll make some families happy this year.”

A number of people take the free turkeys they get for buying a set amount of food at supermarkets during the holidays and donate that to the effort.

Donations (make checks out to Turkeys R Us) can be dropped off at Coldwell Banker Crossroads offices at 319 Main Street near North Street in Manteca or 15810 S. Harlan Road in Lathrop or the Second Harvest Food Bank, 704 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manteca.

If you want to donate a frozen turkey or ham, take it directly to the food bank.

For more information contact Crossroads Real Estate at 823-8141 or the food bank at 239-2091.